Middlemarch Book 3, Chapter 26 Summary

Fred doesn't get to visit Mary again the next day because he develops a nasty fever overnight.
His mother calls their usual surgeon, Mr. Wrench, who prescribes the wrong thing and then doesn't come back to check in on him.
So Rosamond recommends that they call Mr. Lydgate (he's a fever expert), who immediately sees that it's typhoid fever (not good).
Lydgate doesn't want to step on any toes or annoy Mr. Wrench, so he tries to be nice about the fact that Wrench totally screwed up.
Everyone in Middlemarch finds out about the matter, but they all hear different versions of the story.
Some gossip is even getting spread that Lydgate is the illegitimate son of Mr. Bulstrode.